While researching jewelry styles of antiquity for the Pompeii April 2016 Challenge, I came across the wealth of knowledge that will forever impact my perspectives into jewelry design. Countless works of art, their ancient wearers by now returned to dust, sit still perfectly whole in museums around the world, reflecting the beauty and fashions of ages passed. Let’s return to the past for innovation and inspiration in the modern world. I promise this won’t bore you!What makes ancient Italian jewelry so unique starts with the Etruscan Civilization and their ability to manipulate gold. The people of Etruria, who began their work around 800 B.C., had a particular intuition for beauty and proportion. Being at the center of the Mediterranean was ideal for sea trade as well as mining, and their economic success allowed the jewelry making domain to strive. We can recognize the success of jewelry makers at the time based on the pieces that were left or ornate the tombs of the dead. Etruscans of the 6th century had the means to both live and die luxuriously.

The Etruscans had an advanced approach to metal working, using a technique called “granulation”. This time consuming process used small gold beads and soldered them on a surface which was later decorated with gemstones and pearls. Amber was especially popular; it was set in silver, or sometimes tinted with gold to become a special meterial named “electrum”. Later influenced by the Greek styles, fashions began to shift towards the use of cameos and coins, and the baule earring became quickly popular.

A baule earring featuring the head of a bull, an important Etruscan symbol

The 5th century was a bit difficult for Etruria and it is clear archeologically that less people could afford jewelry. The Roman civilization took interest in Etruscan jewelry, and captured artisans who would serve them in jewelry making instead. In Rome, hairstyles were at the top of the trend, and the introduction of hairpins and headdresses of Etruscan design spread quickly, inspiring of revival of Etruscan styles at the turn of the 4th century. People loved jewelry so much in ancient Rome that laws had to be passed to limit the amount of jewelry that could be worn while occupying official positions. While the centers of the Etruscan civilization held their own against other growing and aggressive civilizations, artisans developed new designs and innovated techniques that would inspire many styles that are still popular today. Sadly, this formidable civilization eventually lost it's main sources of influence, and was assimilated by Rome around 500 B.C.

Incarnating the designs of Etruscan goldsmiths in the modern era honors their ingenuity. Ancient jewelry makers created the pillars behind design techniques used to this day; recycling their concepts and drawing inspiration from their work immortalizes the unique Etruscan aesthetic, swallowed by the passing of time.Enjoyed this history flash? What are your favorite eras in jewelry design history?Comment or email me!

Friday, April 8, 2016

Here are the entries for this month's "Pompeii" challenge!
VOTING WILL BE OPEN FROM APRIL 9TH UNTIL APRIL 15. Please choose your favorite entry
from the images or links
below, then select your choice in the blog poll that will appear on the right sidebar during the days that voting is open.

Click on the image mosaic or links below to learn more about each entry and see larger, detailed images of each piece.

Sunday, April 3, 2016

Meet Angel Mcllwain, a self-taught beadwork artist and owner of“Painted Tree Studio” since 2010, an Etsy shop specializing in jewelry from the heart.

Angel,
a former art director for TIME magazine in New York City, left the
hustle and bustle of city life and moved to the middle of nowhere in the
Appalachian region of Ohio. The beauty and serenity of her natural
surroundings are part of the inspiration for her jewelry designs. She
initially sold paper goods, but began beading in 2011 during her
treatments for a devastating cancer diagnosis. Angel, who has a
background in painting and is an avid bead collector, did not have the
energy to paint in her studio (which sits in the front of her 5 acre
yard) during her cancer treatments. She did, however, have an
appreciation for the beauty of nature, a need to express her creativity
and a message to share.

Featured in Angel's Shop!

The outside of Angel's gorgeous studio

The
story behind your “Heart and Hope of Courage Brooches” touched my
heart. I’m very sorry you have to experience this terrible disease. How
has beading helped you mentally or spiritually in your fight against
Breast Cancer?

I started
beading because of cancer. Creative types have a difficult time being
still. I didn’t have the energy for my studio but I was itching to
create (sitting and resting is so dreadfully boring) that I took up
beading. I have had a passion for beads all of my life and I have lugged
four large boxes of beads that I collected when I was a child with me
to everyplace I’ve lived including college. I made the hearts because I
don’t much care for the Korman group and because I hate the word
survivor, I won’t survive this disease and many of my friends have
already died. I like the idea of wearing a heart instead. It represent
love, and love surpasses death.

Heart of Courage Brooch

How are you able to juggle maintaining your Etsy Shop and the demands of your personal life?Not
so well, during the school year I substitute teach and tutor. Things
get a little hairy sometimes. My 14 year old boy has track and he
practices every day. I also tutor after school. I want to devote myself
to working on my Etsy shops and blogs. I’m hoping to do my creative
work full-time. It’s a difficult transition made harder by cancer and
single parenthood, but every day is a fresh chance and here I am making my start at moving forward.

Many of your pieces have beautiful earthy tones, what inspires the color palettes you use, and what materials do you favor?

I
live in the woods and the fresh air of the outdoors inspire me. When
the weather warms, we all but move outside. We have beautiful flower
gardens and lovely shade trees. We also have a large 10x20 canopy with
tables and chairs under it. I like to mix up my materials but I love to
use beads that have a patina on them, or unusual objects.

A new bracelet full of texture

How would you describe the type of jewelry you make and are you currently working on a new piece?

My
friend says that my mom and I make pretty jewelry. I can’t say that I
have developed a particular style other than to say that I love nature
and I’m fascinated by patterns. I acquired some beautiful pieces of sea
polished abalone this summer that I am excited to get to work on, also I
love making rings because I love to wear rings.

A monochromatic bracelet with a
beautiful earthy tone

How did you come up with the name “Painted Tree Studio” for your Etsy shop?

I have two shops at the moment, PaintedTreeStudio and BlueSkiesandBirdSong. The
latter is clearly inspired by my home. The former is inspired by a
house post I found in an old cabin painted white. They used a tree with a
natural v shape as a support for a low ceiling. I use it as an outdoor
shelf in front of my studio. The photo of my studio was taken before my
find.

Angel texturized this ring with a
double beading technique!

What has been the most rewarding thing about starting a handmade business, and what has been the most difficult?

I
simply like to produce things of beauty but I am terrible at marketing.
I’m reading several books at an attempt to correct the error of my
ways. If I can conquer that issue, there will be no stopping me.

About Etsy Beadweavers

Etsy Beadweavers is a group of beaders who market their creations on Etsy.com. The Beadweavers' creations are different from many of the traditional beaded items, in that they are woven from hundreds or thousands of tiny beads to create intricate designs and pictures. These weavings take the form of both art and jewelry. Each piece takes many hours to complete, with some larger pieces taking weeks or even months.

This blog is devoted to the creations of this group of talented artisans.